Author Topic: East from Chicago now South to New Orleans.  (Read 3400 times)

Offline redbraid

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East from Chicago now South to New Orleans.
« on: June 01, 2012, 06:31:24 PM »
Have 10 days starting June 13 and not sure where to go. Have never been East and thinking of the Lake Placid area. Done Blueridge, Colorodo, Wyoming, SD areas but know almost nothing about going East. Any pointers, suggestions, or must sees would be greatly appreciated. Upon more research am also contemplating taking the Great River Road down to Loisiana. Pros/Cons?
« Last Edit: June 10, 2012, 06:26:48 AM by redbraid »

Offline Strawboss

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Re: East from Chicago
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2012, 02:53:31 PM »
Rider magazine just did the NY piece about U.S. 20 through that state, very nice. Stay away from I-90. If you don't do NY, SE Ohio and WV is beautiful also with some of the best roads around. Stay in Marietta as a base and any road out of town is good. We stay at Senaca Rocks state park in WV, nice. Cross over the mountains on Rt33 into VA and into the Shenandoa Valley and do a mini Civil War tour, New Market, Lexington, Staunton, Harper's Ferry. Good luck.
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Offline Deadeye321

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Re: East from Chicago
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2012, 04:24:28 PM »
Can you say Skyline drive

Offline Strawboss

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Re: East from Chicago
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2012, 10:09:10 AM »
I loved the Natchez Trace Pkwy, from Nashville down to New Orleans. No stops, no lights, no commercial traffic, no towns with built up Wal-Mart congestion and tourists traps, no billboards, kind of like the BRP but flatter, neat little towns all along the way, lots and lots of history, nice folks, nice weather, nice smooth road, did I mention no stop signs or traffic lights or trucks of any kind?
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Offline redbraid

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Re: East from Chicago
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2012, 06:25:56 AM »
O.K. Plan is superslab out of Il, In to the Trace in KYtake that then to Natchez Trace Parkway all the way down then shoot on down to New Orleans. Did I forget anything? Any suggestions on New Orleans?

Thanks for the current input.

Offline westkyguy

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Re: East from Chicago now South to New Orleans.
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2012, 07:47:19 AM »
 The Trace sucks, take it from someone who lives near there.

Offline redbraid

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Re: East from Chicago now South to New Orleans.
« Reply #6 on: June 10, 2012, 09:49:03 AM »
Maybe, but like Wall Drug, just gotta do it once to say I was there.

Offline gPink

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Re: East from Chicago now South to New Orleans.
« Reply #7 on: June 10, 2012, 10:43:18 AM »
Natchez Trace-federal property, federal cops, 55 mph speed limit. :deadhorse:

Offline westkyguy

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Re: East from Chicago now South to New Orleans.
« Reply #8 on: June 11, 2012, 07:04:27 AM »
Natchez Trace-federal property, federal cops, 55 mph speed limit. :deadhorse:

 Really! I thought I remembered it as 45!

Offline westkyguy

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Re: East from Chicago now South to New Orleans.
« Reply #9 on: June 11, 2012, 07:06:39 AM »
Maybe, but like Wall Drug, just gotta do it once to say I was there.

 And maybe you will like it, there is so much good riding around here especially the direction you are heading, but hell, I thought the Great River Road trip we made was boring too  ;D

Offline redbraid

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Re: East from Chicago now South to New Orleans.
« Reply #10 on: June 11, 2012, 06:36:11 PM »
Great, The Great River Road was going to be our route back. You're killing me.

Offline Strawboss

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Re: East from Chicago now South to New Orleans.
« Reply #11 on: June 12, 2012, 07:00:14 AM »
If you like scraping pegs on tight curvy mountainous roads, 80mph scoots between turns, tail of the dragon like sparring with other like minded sport bikes interested on scraping off those pesky "chicken strips" nubs on your tires while riding through misty low hanging clouds on technical turns that give Moto GP riders fits.......yeah, the Trace is NOT for you. Neither is the Great River Rd.  Its an easy going laid back history soaked sweeping turn ride through the old south with turn offs to small towns. No commercial traffic, SMOOOOTH road surface, and no stops signs, traffic lights, or built up 4 lane clogged big box store grid lock that takes an hour to go 3 miles through a small town with 50 miles of continuous obnoxious billboards announcing how many miles to go before you get there.
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Offline jim04092

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Re: East from Chicago now South to New Orleans.
« Reply #12 on: June 12, 2012, 06:01:48 PM »
 I live in the Baton rouge area and have ridden the Natchez Trace on several occasions, enjoyed it every time, lots of history and plenty rest areas to stop and take a break and study the history. If you like fried chicken, just off the Trace in Lorman Ms. is the Old Country store where the owner will sing to you about his Grandma's cornbread, well worth the stop. Speed limit on the Trace is 50 mph but we usually travel at 55 mph with no problem.